Movement for electric timepieces



, s. s. HELD 1 MOVEMENT FOR ELECTRIC TIMEPIECES June 3, 1952 Filed June 11, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 3, 1952 H5343 2,598,912

MOVEMENT FOR ELECTRIC TIMEPIECE'S Filed June 11, 1949 v 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 3, 5 5, H E D MOVEMENT FOR ELEiCTRIC TIMEPIECES Filed June 11, 1949 s Sheets-Sheet s June 3, 1952 s HELD 2,598,912

MOVEMENT FOR ELECTRIC TIMEPIEICES Filed June 11. 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 June 3, 1952 s. s. HELD 2,598,912

MOVEMENT FDR ELECTRIC TIMEPIECES Filed June 11, 1949 V I 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented June 3, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MQ EMEN EQR ELE TRIC T MnPI cEs,

Simon Serge Held; Paris, France, assignor of onehalf to Etablissements Ed. Jaeger, Levallois- Ferret, l r-ancaa company A gpli at nmnc 1949, Se al NQ- 98557.9 In. France June 23, 1948 iii-Giaims. l.

The present invention relate to improvements ff c ed irect dr e clo t me pieces. a pecially to th ir lectric. circui s. e odically wi ched D v ces h e r ady been. designed, n 9d; and watch-making wherein an armature associated wi h t b ance wheel is movin in a recipoc ing motion n the field of. an e ectro-magnct underth ction of mpulses gen ated by c rrents fiQWing Pe y hl'wsh the indin cf:

said electro-rnagnet. The sparks, however, due chiefly to. the transient excess. current causedby the cutting off of the electro-magnet, inevitably dama h make and r ak ontactsn practice, great difficulties are experienced in obtain-1 ns el able o ac s wi h a. o g li e Fu her, the rem n nt mag eti m and st r si which are present, even in the best irons, may give rise o e crsfcr some Pr-csisicn apparatus- E ct o-magne s ar commonly used. ass c at d with a moving part consisting of a soft iron arma? ture. The fixed part is made. of soft iron and wound. The principle in itself requiresa flux variation inside the iron and the energy stored in the iron is dissipated in sparks. absorbe pa t n tances, hort circu ted turns, capacities etc, but always at the expense of the spent energy supplied bythesource. The curren ccn ilmp n. no beins'neglieibl i he use of such devices requires current sources-having an inipcr an Output nd; exclu es eir uti zation in certain cases where lightnes s a primaryccnsideraticn,

It has also imaginedtc create an impora ai fi ld, cy mcan i ma n al l tro-magnet, inside which a coil is displaced. This is the basic. rin ipl of al D- .C. a nqmc rs. The. med field is net cut, ci and the s li ind p i educed to that. h frame whi h is cry small if no. iron is located inside. With the usual soft iron cores, there is a slight seli inductance and a small flux a iation inside the name wheneverthe current; its-swit h d odor-9. T. Th r icre a s all spar caus d:

With a View to provide a remedy to thevarious abate ment oned d awbacks; th mai ohiect 0f he nvention s electric ime piec h rein he indu tive-ene gy of the core is sup res ed a d con equ nt y, the s ar s u to transien currents resulting therefrom.

acc d n t anoth r obje t o th invention he, mentrantv parts c n r ti st-he fi ld are. fixed so that any directional effect due to the earth field-is eliminated.

To obtain such results, a magnetic circuit is par s may be 2 set up, with a small air gap comprising a special core so chosen as to be free from inductive eiiect and surrounded by a'moving coil, all magnetic.

parts being stationary. The magnetic circuit is such that the flux through it undergoesipracti cally no variation when a current flows through the coil orwhen the current is out off. In other words, the ampere-turns of this coil are subjected any parts, the latter maybe fairly bulky, hence averypowerful field and a small consumption in the winding, which allows the utilization of cur? rent sources having a small capacity, such. as dry cells, for example.

Accordingto one type of embodiment, the peri-.

odically cut-off electric circuit comprises a copper wire winding driven, under the action of impulses generated by a current passing periodically there-. through, inside a magnetic circuit with a strong magnetic field comprising one-or several perma, nent magnets associated with a core which. con: sists of one or more permanent magnets orone or more parts of special iron, completely saturated by the magnetic field or said magnets.

Thus the spark is practically reduced to zero, since the flux going through the coil has almost no variation. Thus, if a magnet and saturated core is constituted for the magnet field, this core no longer behaves as a soft iron core and as re.

gardsthe spark thecoilbehaves as if it were in air, without any iron. Thus the switching. off

acts on a resistance since the time constantv L/R, is almost zero. As regards the fixed field, how

ever, the coreat the thresholdv of saturation makes it possible to obtain. inside the air gap afield which is almost as int'ense-as with: a. sort.

iron core.

If an all-magnet circuitis set. up, the special iron of the mag-net, being very hard, behaves with respect to the winding asif' said windingdid not.

comprise any magnetic circuit. The lines of force.

of the winding-do not increase material the. f xed field going throughit. There will be, for instance,

1000 Gauss in the airgap with the. winding. switched off and one additional Gauss withthe.

winding switched on, whilethe variation would be more importantwith a soft iron core.

The device may comprise one or more pcrma-;

nent magnets, a permanent magnet core or a saturated iron core on the axis of the balance wheel, and a winding associated with said balance wheel to pivot about its axis inside the air gaps of said magnets. The obtention of a motive torque by means of a coil and magnet, one or the other being a moving element is already known in itself, but the magnets considered are open circuit magnets the lines of force or" which close in air. In the present case, this means is suitable for large scale circular oscillations of a copper wire winding placed in a magnetic circuit having a strong magnetic field and a small air gap, and consequently high torques are applied to said winding by means of very small currents. This arrangement differs from the usual arrangements of galvanometers using a moving coil and a soft iron core in the sense that the inductive effect 01" the soft iron core is eliminated, which, with the coil, would form a small self-inductance capable however of giving bad contacts in the long run.

The coil movable inside the air gap of the permanent magnet may consist of a reduced number of turns or of very fine wire since the current flowing through it has a very small value.

Clocks with balance wheels have been built, with a moving coil in the fixed field of a magnet. The circuit of the magnet, however, is open and the lines of force close in air.

The coil does not rotate about an axis, it is heavy and bulky and is only suitable for a mantel piece clock. The electric watch, according to the invention, is a special ballistic galvanometer adapted to clockmaking by eliminating the contact sparks.

The field generating elements, magnet and core, can be interchanged, the magnet being placed inside the coil and field closure plates being provided outside said coil.

The clock may comprise, further, a device for adjusting the amplitude of the balance wheel oscillations by acting on the potential diiierence existing in the periodically switched off circuit, said device comprising an adjustment rheostat inserted in said circuit, rheostat whose moving element is controlled from outside the watch, and an indicator used for determining visually the amplitude of the oscillations as a function of the adjustment of said rheostat.

The following description, read in connection with the appended drawings, given by way of non-limitative examples, will make it possible to understand immediately the features of the invention and the mode of operation of the time pieces manufactured in accordance with said invention. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a schematic plan view of an electric movement formed by two permanent magnets and a core of saturated iron, with uniformally directed magnetic flux.

Figures 2 and 3 are respectively schematic perspective and sectional views of an electric movement formed by two permanent magnets and a core made of permanent magnets, with uniformally directed magnetic flux.

Figure 4 is a schematic plan view of an electric movement with special core and with uniformally directed magnetic flux.

Figure 5 is a schematic perspective view of an electric movement having circular permanent magnets as field generator and core, with uniformally directed magnetic fiux.

Figure 6 is a schematic cross-section of a cylindrical electric movement similar to the movement illustrated in Fig. 1.

Figure 7 is a schematic plan view of an electric movement formed by two circularly U- shaped permanent magnets one part of which is located inside the winding, the magnetic flux remaining uniformally directed.

Figure 8 is a schematic perspective view of an electric movement formed by a helically shaped permanent magnet one portion of which is surrounded by the winding, the magnetic flux remaining uniformally directed.

Figures 9 and 10 are schematic perspective views of electric movements formed by annular permanent magnets, respectively different and integral, one of said magnets being surrounded by the winding, the magnetic flux remaining uniformally directed.

Figures 11 and 12 are schematic electrical supplying diagrams for movements the magnetic flux of which remains uniformally directed, said diagrams respectively having an equipotentlal connection for the winding with a rheostat and with the current source.

Figure 13 is a schematic diagram similar to that of Fig. 12 having a contact element formed by an oscillatable insulating plate supporting on each side contacts connected with the poles of the current source.

Figure 14 is a schematic electrical supplying diagram for a movement the magnetic flux of which remains uniformally directed, the winding being formed by two reversely wound half windings.

Figure 15 is a, cross-section of a composite permanent magnet.

Figures 16 and 17 are respectively an elevational and partially section view and a plan view of an electric watch according to the invention, the oscillations of which are controlled by two impulses in opposite directions.

Figure 18 is an axial sectional view of a variant of the direct driven electric watch, illustrated in Figures 16 and 17.

Figure 19 is a side view along line XXII-XXII of Fig. 18.

Figure 20 is a top view of Figure 18 along line XXIII--XXIII.

Figure 21 is a diagram of the supply circuit for the watch shown in Figure 18.

Figure 22 is an axial sectional view' of the armature of the moving winding of the watch shown in Figure 18.

Figure 23 is a plan view of the armature of the moving coil shown in Figure 22.

Figure 24 is a rear view of the watch illustrated in Figure 18 enclosed in its casing.

Figure 25 is a front view corresponding to Figure 24.

Figure 26 is a schematic perspective view of an electric movement wherein the magnetic circuit is a dual one, with interchanging of the poles for supplying the circuit with a current of the same polarity.

Figure 27 is a schematic perspective view of the magnetic elements of an electric movement with dual magnetic circuit similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 5.

Figure 28 is a schematic plan view of an elec tric movement with dual magnetic circuit formed by two opposed U-shaped permanent magnets one part of which is surrounded by the winding.

Figure 29 is a schematic cross-section of an electric cylindrical movement with dual magnetic circuit similar to the embodiment shown in Fig. 6.

Figure 3G is a schematic side view of a wind' inzimovabie in s ideal magnetic circuit with ,its'

onexpart of which is surrounded by the winding. I

Figures 32 and 33 are respectiyeiy a crosssectioxia-i new and a perspective view of an electric movement with dual rna'gnetic 'circi-iit' for-fried by two maxim annular permanent magnets one of which is partially surrounded by the w imiing. "I-he various realizations shown relate to improvements for the 'direot driving 01 small electric time ipieee's ane watches, by a 19. source, espeas-11y m those ti'rhe pieces and watches having a clock work movementwith a dr tve spiral balance wheel. with "a, view :to snortening flescription offsaid realisations, the figures have been limited to the essential parts of the:

invention; while' omittin'g the constructional detei-ls ofthe-movemeht transmission the mice by the balance. wheel, -'constr uctiona1 details which are already known per 'se.

Generally; and withia view to aliow'ing the application of the principle of the invention, the electric watch according to the invention consists,- in its essential part, er a coil movable in a magnetic field which is icreate'd bya permanent magnet with a small :ai-rfgap, thenx'e'd core of which is constituted either by a-perinanent map net or rbytaii iron pi'ece 'satum'te'zcl by the ma netlc .flelii' of the magnet. The moving col-1 having a moment of inertial is subjected "to the return torque 6' "of a spiral spring, in isu'ch a 7 member that-the :period of the osciilatiohs coi-re'spahd it a predetermined value r te whole is i ir imilar to lbel tieeel ebmetei but diifers thereiroin by the nature-of the i harem vi i lii il bro-9 29.92 ne thi ie a 9 ebieifn. eme nw l Iilflt crea e-Latvia a minimum weight.

emmm nam m l "The "magnet o la ets hate ajlarge eoei cive force, and are of iron-fickelalumihiini type or other alloy, p fe'rably of agglomerated e e-e. se s, e i y aef m iqive r in t e d ir d Sh pe V w t e t a In a e us g-lcmerated p'pwdersar'e used; the magnet may comprise as illustrated in 15 a non-magnetic metal emater d es stituting the support-i-ng framework 1 or the daggloii ierated hi-a' t l'imf v. If'file magnetic saturate ton an aney of the i-meta type or or the Permunc typewii-i he used pref;

eiihbly, such that the-saturation be ob 'Ild only with the maximum field bf 't'hema'ghts 50 that the flux within the air gap be not substantiall A lower than the one which would be obtained with an ordinary soft iron core.

Figures 1 to creptesent a first class {of em;- bodi'ments of all magnets? magnetic circuits- Whrein the maximum pastime-torque hbfi not been aimed at, but her an economical con" stiuction. The inner and outer portions or the magnetic circuit respect to the can hi e separate;

in Figure '1, the moving coil I or the bai'afi e wheel pi vots about the axis '2 inside the air gap of an outer magnet the poles of which are represent'ed at 3 and =4 and the core at 5. It willflae noted =tha't as the driving torque exists only a very small angle of amplitude, at the time ofi the contact at 'zero, the field is not "distributed. uniformly over the whole periphery as in the case of an ordinary galvanometer, bu t concentrated "in the useful region. 7

Figure 2 ,'of which Figure 3 is asection, shows, in perspective a realization wherein two mag netiz'e'd bars 6 and 1 located respectively a ove and beneath the moving con 1 are arts the magnetic circuit cl'osed by the inner magnet- '5, the polarities of the magnetized bars 6-, 5 end 'l beirigsuccessively reversed. The pin 2 0f the balancewheel is supported by thrust "bearings Band 9 and. is associated with 1311860111. The device comprises two spiral springs I0 and H ensuring the current supply to the frame "I from,

a. :ce'llP connected with the earth by means of an impulse generating device A. The generatin'g device A is of any one :of the types d 'is'- closed in Figs. 1-1 to I4 and L6 to 27 to be here inafter described. The devices disclosed by those figures have one or more blades put alter nately in engagement with changeover contacts.

Figure 4 shows :avariant wherein the core l=2 is provided with notches 13.

In Figure 5, the Score '14 and the outer magnet l5 are constituted by washers magnetized north and south on both sides of a diametr'al line.

Figure 6 shows an adaptation of the device illustrated in the previous figures etc the case oi a (clock designed to have the shape of a om-'- inder of a small diameter, relative elongated. The coil- 16 can move about the aids 41' within the air gap of the cylindrical magnet i=8 com prising a cylindrical core i=9. I

Figures -7 to -10 represent realizations wherein, in anelrort to obtain the maximum possible torqueyone has beenled to realizing the "par-"ts inside and outside the coil by meansof one magnet, either by halves or ih'totality.

In the realization Show-h mFigure 7, the coil l, movable about the axis 2 moves inside the air gap of two mag-bets 2 0 and 21:, having abe provided with pole ieces '2 and '23 the-bo sitionof which corresponds to the position of equilibrium itwhich the impulse is Supplied to the Coil I This 'pOI piece 'mi'g'ht be located in the middle portion or e emen'ts 20 and 21, in order to obtain symmetrical impulses.

-Iii Fi ure 8-, the coil 1; movable about the a'x is--2 V magnetzfl'fh ng the shape of ia double half helix; whose lower part 2-3is-ii1side=the can I and whose upper is-art 26' is outside said can; This "latter part is provided with-apole piece 27.

the realization sa -we i'nFigur-e 9, "one of the Sides 0f the con 28 goes through the axis of rotation 2. A ring-shaped magnet 2-9 goes through it and terms a magnetic circuit with the ma net an outside the coil, this latter magnet carrying a pole piece 31. The magnets and at are connected by a connectin e emen't 32." In Figuie 10, the con 28, one side or which goes:

through the oscillation axis 2, comprises inside it a core 33, made of a magnet. cooperating with a U-shaped magnet 34, the inner flange of which goes through the coil and the upper flange of which is located above said coil. The core 33 might just as well consist of a piece of saturated iron.

The realizations shown in Figures 9 and 10 correspond to arrangements having a wide amplitude of deviation.

The various types of realization shown in Figures 1 to 10 are adapted to a method of supply according to which the moving coil receives, when passing through the equilibrium position, or zero position, two impulses in opposite directions, from two currents of different polarities, or receives only one pulse, in one direction only, so as not to hinder the oscillations of the balance wheel. In all cases, the magnetic circuit is simple, with a one-way flux. Figures 11 to 14 illustrate diagrams for electric sets up corresponding to these modes of supply, which comprise the impulse generating means A of Fig. 3.

In the diagram in Figure 11, the coil I is supplied from a current source 35 by means of two contacts 35 and 3'1 operated by the balance wheel. The resistance 38, with a middle tap, makes it possible to obtain the current reversal by means of two contacts only.

Figure 12 shows a diagram similar to that of Figure 11, wherein two current sources 39 and 40, mounted in series, comprise an equipotential tap for supplying the coil I through switches 36 and 31, so as to avoid any permanent consumption of energy in a resistance and to allow the current reversal in the coil, which would ordinarily require four contacts. Since each battery discharges in turn, each one of them may be smaller, the volume, weight and life being the same as with one battery.

Figure 13 shows a realization of a two contact device derived from the one illustrated in Figure 12. The balance wheel 4I carries a pin 42 which acts on contacts consisting of precious metal blades 43 and 44 separated by a very thin insulating plate 45 protruding positively from the contacts 43 and 44. When the balance wheel moves in the direction of the arrow 1, the pin 42 comes in contact with the blade 43; the assembly of the blades 43, 44 and 45 bends to let the pin 42 escape. The impulse is supplied to the coil at the time of contact of said pin with the blade 43. The holding spring of contacts 46 calls back the insulating blade 45 to its normal position. When the pin 42 comes back in the reverse direction, at the time when the balance wheel moves in an opposite direction to the arrow 1, it meets the conducting plate 44, whence a new impulse in the coi1 by a current having a reversed polarity. The blades 43 and 44 may, preferably, be attached to the insulating plate 45 and are thus automatically brought back to the equilibrium position by the holding spring 46.

In the realization shown in Figure 14, the coil 41 is formed by two oppositely wound windings or comprises a mid point, the leads being brought out to two contact blades 48 and 49 separated by an insulating plate 50. When the coil moves in the direction of the arrow f, the blade 49 meets the movable contact 5|, connected with the current source, and thus generates the impulse in said coil 41, then the blades 48 and 49 escape the movable contact 5I without causing a short circuit, due to the presence of the insulating 8 plate 50. When the coil comes back in the opposite direction, the impulse is supplied to it by the meeting of the blade 46 with the movable contact 5 I.

The clock shown in Figures 16 and 17 comprises a coil SI of copper wire and assembled with the balance wheel 32 on the pin 63 of the balance wheel. The latter pivots, on the one hand, on the saturated iron core 65, carried by the bridge 61, through a fixed pin 66 and, on the other hand, on the watch plate 68. The period of oscillation of the balance wheel 62 is adjusted by the spiral spring 04. The magnetic field of the permanent magnet 69 is closed in the core 65.

On the balance wheel 62 is enchased an insulating disc I0 which carries a contact pin II, to which is soldered one end of the winding 6|, the other end of said winding being soldered on the pin 12, non-insulated, mounted on the balance wheel 62.

The pin II acts on a triggering contact "I3, through a finger I4, attached to one end of this triggering contact. On the other hand the latter has a position determined by the return spiral spring I5. It ends, further, opposite the finger 14, into a flexible tail piece 16 which, owing to the driving of the finger 14 by the pin II at each oscillation of the balance wheel, contacts alternately the contact points TI and I8. These contact points are connected to a current source 19, preferably a dry cell, the mid point of which is connected to the clock plate 68. The reversal of the impulse current is thus effected at each passage of the balance wheel through its position of equilibrium. For this, the contact pointsv TI and 18 must be brought as close as possible to each other and the finger 14 must be given a fairly important thickness, so that the impulse contact be established at the time when the balance wheel goes through its position of equilibrium.

The clock shown in Figures 18 to 20 comprises a former IOI wound with copper wire and as indicated hereinafter, associated with the balance wheel I02. Said former and balance wheel are supported by the balance wheel shaft I03. The latter pivots, on one hand, on a cylindrical fixed magnet I04, housed inside the former WI, and, on the other hand, on a bridge I05. The cylindrical magnet I04 is supported by a shaft I05 going through a cross piece I01 and bearing on an adjustment screw I08. This shaft is held fixed by means of a clamping screw I09 engaging a transverse screw thread in the cross piece I07; the shaft I06 goes through the former IOI through a bore IIO having dimensions substantially larger than those of said shaft.

The magnetic field is closed by two side plates III and H2 and by the cross piece I01, used at the same time for the assembling of the chrono electrical movement, of the bridge I05 and of the pillars H3 fixed by screws I I4 on said plates.

On the former IOI a finger H5 is secured, acting as a holder for an insulated contact which,

at each half oscillation of the balance wheel,=

comes in contact with a blade IIB acting as a current reversal blade. Said blade H6 is put alternately in contact with change over contacts II! and H8 mounted on a support II9 of insulating material attached by screws I20 to the pillars 3.

On shaft I03 lifts I23 are attached, for driving the clock movement proper, through a driving wheel I24. On this shaft is also secured a ring I25, used for the fixation of one end of a spiral carried by the balance wheel, surrounding said core and oscillatable within said small gap, and a spiral spring one end of which is fixed whilst its other end is connected with said winding for applying a return torque to the winding-balance wheel assembly and for acting as current supplying element for said winding, comprising, in combination, means for supporting the core along the oscillation axis of the balance wheel for setting free the small air gap whereby the winding may oscillate for an angle substantially equal to 360, means for energizing the winding during a generated by the induction current at breaking are eliminated.

2. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 1, further comprising a means for regulating the amplitude of the balance wheel oscillations.

3. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 2, wherein the means for regulating the amplitude of the balance wheel oscillations comprises a rheostat traversed by the energizing current of the winding and having an adjusting I movable element controlled from outside the time piece and a visuahindicator for visually determining the amplitude of the oscillations according to the adjustment of said rheostat.

4. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 1, wherein the winding is supported by a frame surrounding the core and formed with two grooves located on both sides of a mid plane and with an upper and a lower central bore for supporting the shaft of the balance wheel, said grooves being connected together by a transverse slot for ensuring the continuity of the winding.

5. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 1, wherein the winding is supported by a frame made of insulating material.

' 6. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 5, wherein the frame is made of synthetic resin.

7. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 6 wherein the resin used is a resin of the polyamid class.

8. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 6 wherein the resin used is of the aceto-butyrate class. V

9. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 1, wherein for rendering negligible the variations of the flux traversing the winding when energized and de-energized, the core consists of at least one magnet.

10. A movement for electric time pieces, ac-

cording to claim 9, wherein each one of the magnets has a large coercive force and comprises agglomerated magnetic powder and an armature of a non-magnetic material, forming the supporting structure for said powder.

11. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 9, wherein each magnet consists of a washer magnetized north-south, on both sides of a diametral line.

12. A movement for electric time pieces, ac-

12 cording to claim 9, wherein the field generator comprises two U-shaped magnets with closed magnetic circuits, shaped as circular sectors, two opposite poles of said magnets being located inside the winding, the two other poles being provided with pole pieces, the positions of which correspond to the equilibrium position of said winding, the magnetic flux having the same direction on both sides of the equilibrium position of the Winding corresponding to the equilibrium position of the balance wheel.

13. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 9, wherein the field generator comprises at least one pair of reversed and crossed magnets with respect to the equilibrium position of the winding, and a magnetized four pole core, whereby the magnetic flux is reversed on both sides of said equilibrium position.

14. A movement for electric time pieces ac cording to claim 9, wherein the field generator comprises two magnets having a general U-shape with reversed poles, located in one plane, said magnets having two opposite ends arranged along a circular are centered on the balance wheel axis, the corresponding poles being located inside the winding when in equilibrium position, whereby the magnetic flux is reversed on both sides of said equilibrium position.

15. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 9, wherein the field generator comprises two inner and outer magnets having a cylindrical shape with opposite poles, centered on the balance wheel axis, the winding encircling one of said magnets and passing in the interval existing between said two magnets, and a support associated with the balance wheel shaft for supporting said winding, whereby the magnetic flux is reversed on both sides of the equilibrium position of said winding.

16. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic field generator is formed with respect to the winding with inner and outer elements as parts of a single magnet, the magnetic flux having the same direction on both sides of the equilibrium position oi the winding.

17. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 16, wherein the single magnet is in the shape of a double semi-helix, the lower part of which is inside the winding, and the upper part of which is outside said winding, the latter part being provided with a pole piece.

18. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 16, wherein the single magnet consists of two circular magnets with reversed poles, centered on the axis of the balance wheel, and of cross pieces connecting said circular magnets together, the winding encircling one of said magnets in the interval thus provided being attached by one of its sides on the balance wheel pin.

19. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 9, wherein the field generator comprises two semi-circular magnets with opposite poles, said magnets being centered on the balance wheel axis and said poles being symmetrically located with respect to the equilibrium position of the winding, and a support associated with the balance wheel shaft for supporting said winding, said winding being mounted excentrically with respect to said axis for encircling said semi-circular magnets, whereby the magnetic flux is reversed on both sides of said equilibrium position.

20. A movement for electric time pieces, ac-

1 3 cording to claim I, wherein tor: rendering negligible ,-the variations oj tl e-fiux traversingflhe win in wh r ized; nd; e ized; the cor szmad r ncomp e ely. et edfor magnet c; fi the orr spondin permane ma n t;

21th:. mov men or ele tric m iec s... cording to claim 20, wherein the field generator comprises a U-shaped magnet having an upper flange and a lower flange, the latter being associated with a core made of iron completely saturated for the magnetic field of said magnet, the winding encircling said core and said lower flange and being attached by one of its ends on the shaft of the balance wheel, the magnetic flux having the same direction on both sides of the equilibrium position of the winding.

22. A movement for electric time pieces, aoccrding to claim 20, wherein the field generator comprises two magnets in the shape of discs magnetized north-south on both sides of a diametral line, said diametral lines being crossed with respect to the equilibrium position of the winding, and a core in the shape of a disc made of iron completely saturated for the magnetic field of said magnets and housed between the same, whereby the magnetic field is reversed on both sides of said equilibrium position.

23. A movement for electric time pieces, ac-

cording to claim 1, wherein for rendering negligible the variations of the flux traversing the Winding when energized and de-energized, the core is made of iron completely saturated for the magnetic field of the corresponding permanent magnet, such a saturation being reached only for the maximum field of the corresponding magnet.

24. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 1, wherein the fixed magnetic field generator generates a magnetic flux having the same direction on both sides of the equilibrium position of the winding corresponding to the equilibrium position of the balance wheel and wherein the means for energizing the winding and for directing the impulses comprise a small capacity current source, an open circuit for connecting when closed said source with said winding, and means for closing said circuit during the predetermined period fraction for each half oscillation of the balance wheel and for re- 1 spectively supplying in succession said open circuit when closed with currents having different polarities for said both half oscillations.

25. A movement for electric time pieces, ac-

cording to claim 24, wherein the winding comprises two reversed half windings, the common point of which is connected with one of the terminals of the current source, and wherein the closing means comprises two flexible contact blades attached to the terminals of said half windings, an insulating plat carried by said winding, inserted between said blades and positively protruding therefrom, and a contact finger, capable of pivoting, connected to the other terminal of the current source and placed in such a manner that said blades encounter it alternately at the time of the displacement of the winding in the direction of the passing of the balance wheel through its equilibrium position, and a spiral spring associated with said contact finger.

26. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 24, wherein one end of the winding is connected with two supply circuits symriumpositiomofisaichwinding, the: other end; 01*

said-iwinding being connected with the mid point of a resistance element the ends of which are respectively connected with-thepoles'of the current ource, wo-flexible. contact: le nent respectively connected with the terminalsgof said; resistance elements and being respectively positioned so that each one contacts one of said supply circuits for the corresponding oscillation direction of the winding.

27. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 24, wherein one end of the winding is connected with two supply circuits symmetrically positioned with respect to the equilibrium position of said winding, the other end of said winding being connected with the mid point of the current source the poles of which are respectively connected with two flexible contact elements respectively positioned so that each one of said contact elements contacts one of said supply circuits for the corresponding oscillation di-- rection of the winding.

28. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 24, wherein the open circuit and the closing means comprise a wire interconnecting the mid point of the current source and one end of the winding through the spiral spring, two blade contacts connected respectively with the poles of the source, a pivoting insulating plate inserted between said blades supporting the same and positively protruding outside them, a return spring associated with said plate, and a fixed piece mounted on the balance wheel and connected with the other end of said winding for the purpose of coming in contact alternately with one or the other of said blades, according to the direction of passage of the winding through its equilibrium position.

29. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 24, wherein the open circuit and the closing means comprise a wire interconnecting the mid-point of the current source and one end of the winding through the spiral spring, two fixed contacts respectively connected with the poles of the source, and a contact finger, capable of pivoting, connected with the other end of said winding and placed in such a manner that it alternately encounters said fixed contacts at the time of displacement of the winding in the direction of the passing of the balance wheel through its equilibrium position, and a spiral spring associated with said contact finger.

30. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 1, wherein the fixed magnetic field generator generates magnetic flux having reversed directions on both sides of the equilibrium position of the winding, and wherein the means for energizing the winding for directing the impulses comprise a small capacity current source, an opencircuit for connecting when closed said source with said winding, and means for closing said circuit during the determined period fraction for each half oscillation of the balance wheel and for simultaneously supplying said open circuit when closed with currents having the same polarity.

31. A movement for electric time pieces, according to claim 30, wherein the open circuit and the closing means comprise a connection between one pole of the source and one end of the Winding, and a two-part flexible contact device one part of which is connected with the other end of said winding while the other part is connected with the other pole of said source.

SIMON SERGE HELD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

Number 16 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date 7 Great Britain Aug. 18, 1932 France Oct. 23, 1913 France Jan. 19, 1920 France June 27, 1921 France May 29, 1933 

